Pacific's program on cut list

STOCKTON - Pacific athletic director Ted Leland has recommended the elimination of the men's volleyball program following the 2014 season to university president Pamela Eibeck to pacify campus-wide budget cuts.

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By Jagdip Dhillon

recordnet.com

By Jagdip Dhillon

Posted Aug. 31, 2013 at 12:05 AM
Updated Aug 31, 2013 at 12:40 AM

By Jagdip Dhillon

Posted Aug. 31, 2013 at 12:05 AM
Updated Aug 31, 2013 at 12:40 AM

» Social News

STOCKTON - Pacific athletic director Ted Leland has recommended the elimination of the men's volleyball program following the 2014 season to university president Pamela Eibeck to pacify campus-wide budget cuts.

Leland revealed his recommendation to coach Joe Wortmann on Tuesday and to his team on Wednesday. Eibeck will look at the recommendation before the school's Board of Regents makes a final decision in early October. Leland said he had to cut "5 to 7 percent" of his budget and all cuts will be reallocated to a $15 million strategic investment fund for new initiatives launched by Eibeck called "Focusing on Our Future."

Leland said it was a difficult decision, but it was the right one after weighing all options.

"It had some to do with our compatibility with the West Coast Conference (which has no men's volleyball) because we want to be a full-fledged robust member of the conference and that means having our menu match up with theirs," Leland said. "Also in order for us to be successful in men's volleyball in the (Mountain Pacific Sports Federation), we had to put more support behind it, not less, and they have a big gap to make up on the court."

Pacific hasn't had a winning season since 2003 and Leland said the program was furthest away from postseason contention in his department. Leland said Pacific would honor all scholarship commitments the program has made.

Leland began the men's program at the club level in 1989 with Wortmann as the head coach and it gained Division I status in 1992. Wortmann, who has been the program's only coach, fought back tears while discussing the future.

"It's a horrible and really difficult situation and each day has been pretty hard," Wortmann said. "The emotions are like having someone die and you go through the gamut pretty fast."

Wortmann said his players want to fight the recommendation and have begun a petition on Facebook and are planning rallies on campus to gather student support.

"I'm concerned about my guys," senior captain Javier Caceras said. "I have 12 freshman coming in and I feel so much for them and their families, but we are hopeful and we will take this step by step."

Wortmann said he has been overwhelmed by emails and calls of support from alumni and parents and said it has meant a lot to him and his team.

"We're gonna be here and we're going to fight," Wortmann said. "We're going to take this year to show who we are and let people rally around that."